Swimming device.



No. 783,012. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905. A. BIEDERMANN & J. HOWALD.

SWIMMING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1903.

INVENTOHS WATTOHNEYS No. ves,012.v

' UNITED STATES Patented February 21, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLF BIEDERMANN AND J AK HOWALD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SWIMMING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 783,012, dated February 21, 1905. Application filed November 12, 1903. Serial No. 180,940.

To all whom, it ntaq concern:

Be it known that we, ADOLF BIEDERMANN and J AK HowALD, citizens of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swimming Devices; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our present invention relates to swimming devices; but to be more specific it is a device to be attached beneath the sole of the foot of the swimmer and by the-use of which a comparatively greater surface is presented to the water as the operator makes successive thrusts, and a consequent increase in speed is the result. As the many styles of swimming with as many different strokes all depend for their effectiveness on this foot thrust, it is manifest that our invention is universal in its application.

In carrying out our invention we have not overlooked the requisites of strength and durability nor the fact that to derive practical results the device must possess extreme lightness and compactness.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will appear in the following specification, and the novel features thereofwill be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

We are enabled to accomplish the objects of our invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a View of a swimmer in the attitude of making an overhand stroke with our invention positioned on his feet. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device. Fig. 3is a transverse section, the solid lines representing the wings closed, while the dotted lines show the wings openf Referring now to the above views by letter, A and A represent two similarly-formed .wings essentially rectangular in form, and made of a suitable light but rigid material. These wings are secured together by means of the hinges B B. Projecting from these hinges B B are the members C C, to opposite ends of which project the curved stops D D, which protrude through perforations in the wings AA and are adapted to limit the closing action thereof. Now assuming that the device is secured by means of straps a to the feet of the swimmer in the relative position shown in Fig. 1, it is manifest that as the operator makes a propelling kick or thrust of the foot the wings will open into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby presenting the maximum area, and consequently afiording a corresponding increase in the efficiency of the stroke. It is further manifest that as the swimmers legs are drawn up to the body preparatory to a successive stroke the wings of the device will close, as far as the stops D D will permit them, and thereby present a minimum resistance area.

It will be readily seen from the above description that we have provided a very simple, compact, light, and effective swimming device, by the use of which the act of swimming is greatly facilitated and the speed possible greatly increased.

We are aware that various changes in the form and proportion of parts of the devices herein shown and described as an embodiment of our invention can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and we therefore reserve the right to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the scope of our invention.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the class described consisting of twin wings hinged together to permit of their folding, cross members secured to said hinges, straps securedto said cross members and adapted to secure the device to the foot of the swimmer, rods projecting from said cross members and engaged by said wings in order to limit the folding action of said wings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A device of the class described consisting of twin wings hinged together to permit of their folding, cross members secured to said hinges, straps secured to said cross members and adapted to secure the device to the foot of the swimmer, rods projecting from said names to this specification in the presence of cross members and passing loosely through tWo SUbSCllblIlg \vltnesses.

said Wings, and heads on the free extremities ADOLF BIEDERMANN. of said rods to prevent complete foldingof 1 JAK HOWVALD.

5 said Wings, substantially as and for the purl WVitnesses:

pose set forth. GEORGE PATTISON,

In testimony whereof We have signed our ELIZ. KINGAID. 

